Chapter 40 - Placed (TCOK)
A few days later, the two brothers were staying at an inn in Rogueport. Tubba's sense of longing had grown to crushing. He didn't dare to tell Chubba, because after all, he hadn't told Tubba to come with him. He was reliving the thrill of conquering the Iglator Hareth together. Somehow, starting a business together didn't have the same ring. Today, Chubba was out asking in Rogueport the quickest and best way to make money. The inn had a leaky roof, but that wasn't too bad. A store was on the lower floor anyway; better their beds get wet than the store's food. Chubba spent most of the days desperately trying to find a job, while Tubba kept the inn in order and tried to work out himself. They were just two brothers barely scraping by. A far cry from brothers who were destined for Kingship. "Tubba! Tubba!" That was Chubba's voice now, as he clambered up the stairs. Racing into view, his teal twin brandished a poster in front of him. Taking the poster from Chubba at his insistence, Tubba began to read. GLITZ PIT FIGHTERS: RECRUITING. NEED REPLACEMENTS FOR RETIRED RAWK HAWK, PRINCE MUSH. SPECIES WITH BEST CHANCE: CLUBBA, SPIKED CLUBBA, PARAGOOMBA, IGLATOR, BANDIT. "Well, good luck finding a Spiked Clubba. I kill- er, the last one is dead. Similarly, good luck finding an Iglator in this half of the world." Tubba remarked, reading the paper again. "You idiot!" Chubba sighed, slapping a meaty hand to his face. "Look at the salary!" The salary was a very hefty sum of BeanBean Coins, as well as tips and endorsement bonuses. "We could make one hell of a living that way." Tubba noted. "And our species is one of the ones they want the most!" Chubba exclaimed, excitement rising in his voice. Tubba nodded, hope beginning to bubble in his belly. Hadn't he always loved the thrill of the fight? The glory of winning the best battle? "And not to mention, we've conquered Hareth. Anyone else would seem cakewalk compared to that!" Teal fist met red fist. Together, they looked across into each others' eyes. Tubba could see his own determination reflected in the eyes of his twin. "Let's do it." Chubba grinned, "we'll make so much money!" "And we'll make a name for ourself and get so much glory..." Tubba looked out the window into the distance, a future materializing before his eyes. "I knew you would be easy to convince. I've bought us two Blimp tickets, we've got our interviews tomorrow at one." "What are we waiting for?" Tubba haphazardly threw everything he needed back into his suitcase, before taking off down the stairs, Chubba did likewise. Chubba and Tubba paid the exit fee, before racing across the stone ground to the blimp. A brief altercation with a Craw notwithstanding, they reached the Blimp in double quick time. "I've always wanted to live in a flying city." Chubba remarked as they got onto the Blimp, after scaring the Cheep Cheep by nearly stepping on him. Tubba shuddered. "Not for me. What happens if it crashes?" "Pfff, you worry too much." Chubba grinned as the Blimp lifted off the ground, powering it's way through the air to Glitzville. One in the afternoon tomorrow, the two of them stood at the front office of the Glitz Pit, anxiously awaiting their turn. After seeing a crying Goomba get rejected, both brothers were very much eager to get it over with. What happens if we fail? Will we have to go back to Gusty Gulch with our tails between our legs? ''Shaking off the thoughts, Tubba and Chubba entered the office together for their interview. Sitting at the desk to their left was a Shy Guy. He was gray, with a bowtie. Aptly, the nameplate on his desk next a computer read "Bowtie Guy." "Right, Tubba and Chubba Clubba Blubba. Why should we hire you as battlers?" A few minutes of explaining why they wanted to be battlers, the salary, the glory. Bowtie "tut-tut"ed at their ages, making Tubba very worried. However, Bowtie Guy seemed to like Chubba. In fact, when he closed the interview, he stated, "I like your spirit, Chubba." Reaching into his briefcase, Bowtie took out two sheets of paper. Written across the top in bold, black letters was "'PROFESSIONAL TRYOUT CONTRACT.'''" Tubba could've cried: they got the job. Both brothers grabbed their favourite pen, the color of their scales, and began to sign. In red ink, Tubba handwrote where he should sign, T.R.C. Blubba, whereas Chubba, in his indomitable style, printed '''CHUBBA '''in big letters, the teal ink glowing eerily on the page. "The first order of business is to get a third member. You guys are a little one-dimensional together." Bowtie explained, and both brothers nodded vigorously. Tubba briefly thought how weird it was to see Chubba being cooperative. "There are a few people without a team in the rooms, including a Paragoomba Goombar; he could be a good fit." Tubba nodded. As he and Chubba left the room, smiles spreading across their faces, the claws of longing that had gripped Tubba vanished. He belonged.